Tuessday 28th January 2020
Sussex RUR Cup Semi Final
The Saffrons, Eastbourne
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50
For this midweek's action, again wet weather reduced the options available. However, fortunately arguably the most attractive looking fixture, between two of the leading clubs in the Southern Combination League Premier Division in a cup semi-final was not in any danger, and so I planned my second visit to The Saffrons this season.
Coming into this game, Lancing were top of the Southern Combination League Premier Division by three points, following 16 wins and four draws from 23 league games, although they had lost their last two league games, both away, to top 5 opposition, and before that had won their previous nine league games. Eastbourne Town were in fourth place, following 14 wins and three draws from their 21 league games, and so we're seven points adrift of Lancing but with two games in hand. When the two teams met in the league at Culver Road in November, Lancing won 3-1 - to end the then league leaders Eastbourne Town's unbeaten start to the season.
On a very chilly evening under clear skies, it was the hosts who did most of the attacking in the early stages, but soon found themselves two goals down due to some incisive attacking by the visitors. With just two minutes on the clock, Eastbourne Town were awarded a free kick on the right following a bad tackle which earnt a very early yellow card, which was curled into the area and headed just over the bar. But on 6 minutes, Lancing took the lead. The ball was flicked excellently from the left wing into the path of Lewis Finney, who ran into a more central position before curling the ball into the top right corner of the net, a very good finish. On 10 minutes, Eastbourne had another free kick in a similar position to the earlier one, but this time was headed powerfully into the keepers midriff. Lancing then doubled their lead on 17 minutes with another high quality goal, this time Santos dribbling from the half way line past several Eastbourne defenders backing off, before rolling the ball through to Rhodes, who stroked the ball across the keeper and into the net. It was a harsh scoreline on the hosts, but they pulled shoal back on 27 minutes, after the ball was passed down the left channel, and the crossed to the back post for Capon to tap into an empty net. Eastbourne had a couple of good chances to equalise before the break, but we're still very much in the game despite a one goal deficit.
Eastbourne continued in the ascendancy after the break, and got back on level terms on 52 minutes, Sam Cole heading the powerfully goalwards following a corner, and despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball, it deflected just over the line. It was very much game on now, and Eastbourne saw a header from a corner flash just wide on 55 minutes. But on 60 minutes, a fairly innocuous looking coming together by opposition players was to bring an exciting and enjoyable game to a halt, when Liam Hendy stayed down and barely moved, and as more and more people surrounded him, bringing on items to keep him warm, it soon became apparent that Hendy had suffered a bad injury, confirmed when it was announced that an ambulance had been called for. About 20 minutes later came the news that the match had been abandoned, with no ambulance in sight, and would be replayed at a later date. It was later revealed that Hendy had suffered a dislocated elbow.
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